2008 TROOPING EVENTS

Well, here we are, a month and a half into 2008 already. There are two events coming up in June, approximately one to two weekends apart. The first is the Oak Bay Tea Party Saturday 07 June. The second, which will probably be the following weekend (no dates posted as yet on the Victoria Events website), will most likely be the following weekend, if memory serves me.

Organizers for the Oak Bay Tea Party inform me that application forms will be ready on their web site in March, so I'm looking for volunteers now. I have two confirmed already. Please post here if you're interested. Ladies, I have four extra costumes so if you're interested but have nothing to wear, you only need to be able to get into a 12-16 to fit my attire (size 8 footwear or have your own). The more the merrier!

Woohoo cant wait to see the tea party! BSN member cmw123bc

The Bucaneer Day parade and fair, is also a potential venue. We pulled that off successfully in 06 the weekend after Oak Bay. The parade application can be picked up from the Esquimalt legion. Esquimalt City Hall has the contact for the Fair.
My relations in Victoria also have the info, for the time and location of the fair planning committe to submit the groups name for a table to recruit and potentially acquire new trooping events for the year.
I don't expect Carry to organize both events but the Esquimalt fair would be an excellent advertising venue for someone willing to take the challenge of organizing it.

....I'm just curious as to whether there's perchance been any talk of making a group costumed appearance over at the upcoming Hobby and Toy Fair, scheduled for - hold on, I picked up one of the flyers from Cherry Bomb Toys earlier this week, just let me round it up here - aahhhh, yes, that's right, apparently Sunday, April 20th is the day for this one, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it's being held over at the Pearkes Rec Centre as was the case - well, it was a couple years ago I seem to recall attending that one meself, making one of our noted costuming appearances and thus garnering a fair bit of attention in the process, and I'm fairly sure I'm not misremembering here....totally. *wry chuckle* Still, though, ye-es - what actually did put me in mind of it again, and I suppose what basically compels me to mention it and see what's the proverbial good word on this one - since I can't recall just at the moment just how much it's been discussed already....

....but it didn't seem to be mentioned in that post talking about the upcoming events this year where we're likely to want to put in an appearance and make ourselves known, so I figured it very likely behooved me to ask, at any rate....because just this past week I did happen to browse on by Cherry Bomb Toys again (aside, mmmmmm, I'm quite liking it there, I must say, and naturally I do tend to zero in right straightaways on *any* and all potential Anakin must-have prettiness....and of course it's always a nice thing when folks aid and abet me in that regard.... ) - and in talking with the guy who mans the counter there, good sort, for sure and certain - he again mentioned that he was hoping we could all put in an appearance there....he really seems very positively enthused over the idea, then, so surely this too is something on the cards for us, right....it is something we're well-aware of, I take it, because it just seems to me that if we're likely being counted on for this....

....if our presence, then, is evidently being asked for and welcomed like this, if there definitely does seem that interest and eagerness in having our usual contingent show up there, then, well - surely we don't want to end up disappointing the folks involved here, do we? I should think, anyway.... And, oh, to be sure also in chatting with the guy at Cherry Bomb about the upcoming event, I did come away with some further pertinent info - apparently he was hoping to have just the usual Impies and Jedi show up for this one, or the way he put it to me was, well....maybe not so much the costumes potentially involving any "skin", then, a la a Twi'lek for instance, though to be sure I don't know as any of us have necessarily done that yet (although, *hrmmmmmm*, what an idea!) so maybe it's not so much a consideration for us anyway, since we're already a cadre of Impies and Jedi and such as it is....yet that was just what he wanted to mention, not that it would ever be an issue for us, right?


Dawn.

First and most important: the paperwork has gone in for both the Oak Bay Tea Party parade and the Buccaneer Days. With that in mind, please visit both web sites and check out the dates for each parade. Let me know no later than mid-May (19 May) whether or not you can participate. I?ve put our projected numbers at 15. Remember, although the core of our group should be 501st and RL, there?s nothing wrong with ?roping in? a family member or friend to help pad out the parade presentation.

www.oakbayteaparty.com

For Buccaneer Days, type the fol into your search engine: Buccaneer Days 2008 + Esquimalt BC (their link doesn?t work in a ?copy/paste?)

Also keep in mind John?s request for ?troopers? for 01 July in Parksville and also the PNE in August.

I will be approaching the PNE organizers in June with regards to us trooping, hopefully the Sunday on the long weekend. Those of us coming from out of area will be forced to stay overnight following the evening parade. Please keep this in mind with regards to your commitment: there are two parades and we?ve more or less committed ourselves to doing both this year.

Okay. So tomorrow, Saturday, 07 Jun is the big day for the Oaky Bay Tea Party Parade. If you are planning to attend, be at the corner of Windsor Park in Oak Bay at 1000 am, IN COSTUME. If you have to put on armour or another complicated costume, please give yourself an additional 45 minutes on location (at the park) to get prepped.

Buccaneer Days is next Saturday 14 Jun. To date I still don't have the specifics (timings and form-up). Will be checking in with Tyler on that on Sunday and posting it. The response for Oak Bay has been extremely thin. We MIGHT be fielding six people, compared with the usual ten, so let's all come out for Buccaneer Days.

Don't forget Parksville 01 July. For that event you will have to overnight in Parksville 30 Jun to ensure you're on site. I will "poke" John aka Luke with regards to posting timings et al. I have a room booked at the Quality Inn and will be sharing with one other person. If you require crash space I request that you pay up-front before we book into the hotel. I'm hoping to secure government rates which should save us 10% overall.

Well, I don't know about the matter of "poking" John, our de-facto Luke, with regards to "timing" or whatever else - but what I do know from having touched base with him, now that he's back in town after a lovely extended vacation in Europe (although the jet-lag has been mercilessly harsh on him, as I understand it) - he's told me that apparemtly his van, which he's been using to get around and transport armour and goodies, costumes and folks as need be and thus it was presumably just what he was planning to do for the later and rather more distant planned appearances, including Parksville - or, at least, that was certainly the intention anyway....until his van apparently only recently broke down again, and when I talked with him he relayed to me that he didn't know when or likely even if he could have it fixed....which of course could put rather a crimp in his plans, I'd imagine. So, then, the upshot of that may be that he's not entirely sure what'll happen with it....
....and especially since, to be sure, he's only just made his way back town-wards, hence there's clearly still rather a lot to take care of and he's been having a bit o' trouble with some lingering jet-lag too, by all accounts....poor guy, I can well imagine....so at this point, then, taking all that into account, I'm guessing that he really doesn't know quitewhat'll happen with regards to Parksville. But since his van is out of commission, well.... (and the last I talked to him he also didn't happen to have regular 'net access either, which was hamstringing him somewhat as I understand it....)


Dawn. (herself getting over the lingering unease of a rather unhappy tummy earlier, never any fun at all to be sure, if fortunately a more temporary sort of issue by far than van woes and vexations, which on the one hand is of course likely a very good thing....)

I must admit I was extremely disappointed with the turn out for the Oak Bay Tea Party parade. I know two of the in-towners were tied into work, as was one Gulf Islander. But I had received a commitment from three people, none of whom showed up or even e-mailed me the night before to cancel. The only reason the RL and 501st had a presence was because a friend of mine thought it would be fun to hop into costume. She and I walked the entire route with the banner, her son tagging along in street clothes as "water boy".

Now Buccaneer Days is looming large on the immediate horizon for Sat 14 Jun. I need a head count no later than Thursday evening. If you CAN'T make it, please let me know. There's a potential new 501st member who is interested in parading. Right now it looks like just Tyler and I, and possibly this new fellow. We need a minimum of five (5) to make this look like something other than a joke. I can honestly say I was embarrassed by last weekend. That said, I thanked the organizeres for allowing us to participate.

Following 14 Jun, we should all be looking ahead to 01 Jul. Given the early morning form-up timing for the Canada Day parade in Parksville, an overnight stay 30 Jun/01 Jul will be necessary. Book NOW so as not to be disappointed.

Finally, the PNE: this should be the biggest event. I'm firming up timings with Anna Lam for the last Sunday of the PNE. That's the Sunday of the Labour Day weekend. Mrak your calendars, please, and get your work time off requests in. Again, we'll be overnighting since making a dash for the last ferry will be plain silly and dangerous.

Hey all,

Sorry for my lack of, well, anything these past few months. I'm back up in Courtenay until the end summer and seeing as I work full time and lack a vehicle for getting down Island is a little tricky for me (stupid having to pay for university...). That said I MIGHT be able to make the troop in Parksville, but I'll have a clearer idea closer to the time.

Cary, I've got a new email address so I'll send that your way so I can say up to day with events.

Hope you guys are all doing well and hopefully I'll see some of you before the end of summer.

- John

John: as you're the primary organizer for the Parksville event, we need to know ASAP what is happening with regards to this event. Is it a go or a no go? I've booked a room and within the next two weeks will have to purchase my fare up-Island. Given that I'm back on part-time employment I'd rather not wind up out of pocket on this event because insufficient numbers turned up. Also, Maia WILL be attending, so it behooves 501st members to show up.

You're meaning the other John, right?

That's....actually what I figured she had to mean, as well.... ....methinks it's a wee bit o' confusion going on there - it's the "other John", a.k.a. our Luke and Artoo-builder, after all, who's been originally spearheading the Parksville plans....though of course, in talking with him and given the fact that apparently his van and thus his primary mode of transportation has pretty much given up the proverbial ghost, well - no doubt that throws a real wrench into the works as he'd been thinking of it....eeep!


Dawn.

Buccaneer Days:

Day: Saturday 14 Jun 08
Form up: 0915 on Vinefield Road off Esquimalt Road (near the school behind the Bingo Hall
Position #: 29

Troopers, bring an ice pack to put under your cowl at the back of your neck.
Everyone bring Powerade, Gatorade or water.

Drivers: you're going to need to drop off your stuff and shift your vehicle over to somewhere close to the Tudor House Pub, otherwise you'll be busing back to the form up point! I'll be at the form-up point NLT 0915, probably earlier to ensure someone's there to watch the stuff. I have a bus pass you can borrow to take the #6 back to the marshalling point.

Just a very quick follow-up question re: arrangements for tomorrow....will there be any way, at least for those of us who are coming by bus - *raises hand* - to perchance stow some of our stuff, e.g. lightsaber boxes and personal effects and what have you - with someone else who's driving and thus has a car....in the trunk, or some such? I'd presume so, what with all the armoured folks and all they have to go through in order to get into the kit, but still figured it was well-worth asking anyway....

EDIT: Oh, and also, I suspect I'm a wee bit confused here:

....because I can't seem to find any listing for a "Vinefield" Road in Esquimalt, either by way of online maps, e.g. in order to find the bingo hall, or in using the phone book street listings....there is a *Viewfield* Road, however, so I'm wondering now if that's the one in question....? *puzzled*


Dawn.

Buccaneer Days went off reasonably well, in large part due to the two youngling padawans in the group. There were two RL and one 501st representing the groups on Saturday. Wish there could have been more.

John (Luke), please get out the information in point form with regards to 01 July. We now have transportation for six of us: Maia's renting a van for the Mon/Tues, so you, I, Robin, Maia, her daughter and her Mom can pile in for the drive up-Island. For everyone else, if you don't have a car, check out the E&N (VIA Rail) connection and the bus. In the case of the train, you may have to stay an extra night to get back because of timings, or take the train up and the bus back. Round-trip via bus is approx $80. VIA round-trip is more but probably nicer since it doesn't hit every hick town between Victoria and Parksville. More leg room, too.

If you don't have your hotel room booked, DO IT NOW. Remember, 01 Jul is a holiday and 4 Jul is same for the U.S. My room's at the Quality Inn near downtown: with tax $139 a night for a double.

For the non-Rebel Legion/501st SW fans in the Victoria area, I'm planning a garden party (weather permitting) for 29 Jun at my place. I need numbers no later than 26 Jun, so please p.m. or leave a yes/no here with your name. If you p.m. a YES, I'll send you directions.

The vehicle I was going to use to get down from Courtenay has died and will most likely be towed away later this week. I'm still not sure if I can attend the July 1st event but if someone is heading down from Courtenay or further north and has a spare seat in their vehicle it would really help me make the call as to whether or not I can attend.

Right now Cary I'm a most likely not, but if anything changes I'll let you know as soon as I know.

How about the bus?

This is Maia, not Cary posting here. LOL

I can come up to Courtenay on Manday to get you, but there will not be time to take you back home on Tuesday.You would need to bus it home instead. If you are worried about your armour on the bus, I can bring it down to Victoria, Cary is willing to store it until you can come down and pick it up at the next troop here.

Please let me know ASAP if this will work. We will be checking back for a response.

Maia

John: Can you make the PNE on 24 Aug? The parade is at 1630 hours (4:30 pm). Go to my PM box and leave your personal e-mail address. I'll add you to the 501st and RL all purpose e-mails (if you aren't already receiving them). That way you'll be up-to-date on all of the events we're trooping.

I'm already going to be in Vancouver on the 19th/20th of August for the Radiohead concert at UBC. It shouldn't be a problem for me getting down to Victoria or Nanaimo to get over there, but I'd have to be back in Courtenay Sunday night seeing as I work the Monday and am already taking two days off for Radiohead.

Shall we have me go by Kudos simply to avoid any confusion with the other John?

Also, does anyone know where I might be able to get my hands on a reasonably priced Force FX lightsaber?

Well, even in general you're probably looking at eBay as the most sure bet in order to pick up a Force FX lightsaber of fair any variant, but you'll also end up paying a pretty penny for it not just through eBay but really anywheres else you might happen to come across one of 'em still for sale....believe me, I've long been looking to get another one o' my Anakin Force FX'ers, too, even just for the sake of having one for action, duelling and whatnot - and then one for display, and to keep all gloriously nice and pristine, beautifully unmarred and unfingerprinted in general.

And truth be told you do have to scout around a fair bit to basically find these lightsabers *anywhere*, at this point....again, I'd suggest looking online and I have found 'em through one e-tailer or another....but not necessarily at what one might call a "reasonable" price, admittedly, though of course it can depend on what one considers "reasonable" anyway....and, heck, I was only too happy and eager to shell out for my own MR FX lightsaber a few years back, and since then it's become one of my rarest, nearest-and-dearest and most especial treasures. *adoringly pets lightsaber*

And not even just because now, alack-and-alas, they really are proving only harder still to find anywhere (supposedly there's been some talk that stores like Spencer's Gifts might be carrying at least some of them again, selling off what little remains of their stock, I presume - especially now that the MR FX line has been discontinued - but I've certainly never seen them there, and it's not for lack of browsing around either) - Master Replicas did basically bollix it up so that they lost the LFL/SW licensing agreement, including the lightsabers, et cetera - such a long and seemingly sordid tale from what I've heard, but apparently it all pretty much boils down to....MR completely muffed it, they dropped the proverbial ball in the worst possible way....and have disappointed and frustrated countless people in the process. (I still remember the tales of what happened when they up and cancelled all their CIV exclusives, then all the other special events they'd had planned, just like that....right out of the blue, it was, and oh my goodness how people were justifiably ticked off over that one....hell hath no fury, indeed.... )

Now, okay, certainly we've already long been looking for another distributor or company, another maker in general, to take on the lightsaber replica work....and when you consider what the company eFX has already done with the stormtrooper helmet, I believe....we-ell, then, yes, I would naturally expect as soon enough we'll hear something of some more electronic high-quality, top-notch lightsaber replicas, a la the Force FX ones, being made and offered. (word was by a branch of Hasbro, but don't let that fool you, they'd still be under direct contract with LFL and thus subject to their *very* rigorous demands and exacting, high-quality standards....nothing less would suffice, after all) And maybe even rather sooner than otherwise, what with CW coming up fast in basically just a matter of weeks here, and then "The Force Unleashed" after that, and moreover also with the ongoing TV broadcast of CW and then the live-action series coming up in a while yet....mmmmmmmm, yes, 'tis only a matter of time then, clearly.


Dawn.

Word on the Force-Cast is that we may be looking at October for a re-release on the FX, if we're lucky...

Definitely won't have one in time for the PNE, but maybe for the Christmas troops. Damn being a student!

Well, hey, at the very least we have some hope now that it'll definitely be coming, that it's something we can well enough look forward to and trust in....that we'll be able to score at least a few of the FX's again, as needed - of course for me it's all about getting another pristine version of my Anakin ROTS one, just because 'tis Anakin after all, natch - and yet just as much to the point, though....oooooohhhh, *shiny*....likes that very much, methinks. *is duly entranced by the prettiness* Of course, though, all that being said, I'll admit to a certain curiosity about the likes of the Darth Maul double-bladed FX saber - and if you thought the others were already hard enough to find, and even when you did they could cost the proverbial pretty penny, well....let's just say that the full double-bladed Darth Maul one was only even more so.

To be fair, though, there are certain stores (Curious, ahem) you just don't go to for this stuff because you know you can get a far better, more sensible and altogether sane sort o' good deal....otherwise the markup can be just frightful, I've found. Aaaahhhh, but then, of course once you do have your saber there's always the possibility of having it "modded", too - at least so that the blade and hilt can actually separate, hence being able to wear the hilt slung from the belt in appropriate fashion....by all accounts that seems to work quite well, and if you check into something like - I think it's Luxeon, well....looks like they do good, top-notch quality saber modding there, and I'll likely be giving that a try meself, at some point. It's always well worth a shot, after all, right?


Dawn.

Just so everyone can spend the next month lighting enough of a fire for me to get my act in gear, I'm stating right now that I'm going to be making the PNE troop.

Most excellent, for sure....quite glad to hear it, for this is surely one o' those proverbial situations where it's the more the merrier by *far* - and hey, if you are in fact suggesting it....well, here, let me oblige, I'm sure I wouldn't mind in the slightest.... *kindles a roaring fire accordingly*


Dawn.